Happy Monday, everyone. Only 12 days separate you from Alabama football’s opening game, and only five from a week zero slate kicked off by Iowa State at Kansas State in Dublin. Football is here, folks! Creg Stephenson highlighted the number 12 this morning, which has been worn by legends in Crimson.
But if there’s one number that truly has “magical” connotations at Alabama, it’s 12. Bryant wore the No. 12 off and on during his career as an end with the Crimson Tide in the mid-1930s, though he wore 34 when he famously played vs. Tennessee with a broken leg in 1935.
A series of standout Alabama quarterbacks in the 1960s wore the number, which has also been donned by other standouts over the years. One possible future star is also wearing 12 this season.
May Keelon fill those very big shoes when his time comes.
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Kalen DeBoer had plenty to say after the scrimmage. By all accounts, the defense played well but didn’t get turnovers. As always in an intrasquad game, everything that happens is good news/bad news.
— Multiple people gave positive reviews about the defense after watching the scrimmage. The offense still took fairly good care of the football, but the defense seemed to have a good day overall. There didn’t sound to be as many explosive plays allowed as the first scrimmage.
— Kicking remains one of the primary uncertainties with Alabama right now. It doesn’t sound to have inspired much confidence from any observer. Kicking might be the biggest concern on the team right now. It’s not time to press the panic button, but no observers seemed confident about the position after the second scrimmage.
— After a strong scrimmage a week ago, wide receiver Cole Adams had a few drops Saturday. He’s fighting for playing time at one of Alabama’s most stacked positions.
As for intel beyond DeBoer’s press conference, one scrimmage observer told The Tuscaloosa News that freshman cornerback Dijon Lee saw significant action with the first-team defense. More, in fact, than at least one of last year’s returning starters (Domani Jackson, Zabien Brown). And while that doesn’t indicate with certainty that Lee will start against the Seminoles, it speaks to the depth that defensive coordinator Kane Wommack could barely contain his excitement about when recently asked.
Alabama will have one of the best defensive backfields in college football.
It remains to be seen if it will support that unit with an effective pass rush, as opposing quarterbacks too often had too much time to throw last season. For that to happen, a breakout season from LT Overton, Qua Russaw, or some other regular pass rusher will be required. As for the inside linebackers, the Crimson Tide will return a team captain in Deontae Lawson, and one of the best overall athletes on the roster in senior Justin Jefferson.
“DaShawn Jones is a guy who’s 23 years old, and he’s played a lot of football. He’s a trusted, reliable, dependable person. If you look at last year, he played corner and he played nickel, husky for us on the inside, so we really immediately felt like he was a guy that can do multiple things, and the more we’re giving him, he’s handling it very well, and we feel like it’s only going to help the team,” Linguist explained.
Jones told the Tuscaloosa News on media day that despite the tightness of competition, the group of competitors is “very close.”
“We talk each and every day, and we take steps to help each other improve. We watch film together, and it’s kind of like a brotherhood for us. It doesn’t matter who steps on the field. It’s just us three. We’re in the same position, taking that step to make all of us better as one,” Jones explained.
From the outside looking in, senior Domani Jackson saw a “great battle” taking place during fall camp.
“We all take every little detail we possibly can to showcase what we can bring to the table, but we have to be consistent with our work every single day, and when you can be consistent, you’re gonna be on the field,” Jackson said. “That’s why you come to Alabama: to compete with the people in your room, the position group across from you.”
“We haven’t decided on who the starter will be back there. Guys that did a good job a year ago, we got Cole (Adams) back there, really in both – and he started out as our punt returner a year ago – and he’s done a nice job just being steady. And then I think new faces, you’ve got Rico (Scott), probably kickoff return, you know, can do some things back there for us.
“And then Bak (Jaylen Mbakwe) in both areas as well. He and Cole really I think, can do both, and provide a combination of just consistency with fielding it, and then some explosiveness there, so I would start with those guys.”
Adams was likely Alabama’s best returner during the 2024 season. However, he suffered multiple injuries throughout the year, ending his season early.
Scott is one of the fastest players on the Crimson Tide. He did not return any kicks during his true freshman season, while preserving his redshirt, but did contribute as a returner in high school.
“Conor’s done a really good job on campus in the complex,” DeBoer said. “Last week (in Alabama’s first scrimmage) he missed, I’m not sure what it was, but we gotta just keep getting work in the stadium here. Missed a couple today. So from a field goal standpoint, the ones further out. Probably 40, 38 to 44, somewhere in-between a couple of those. So gotta keep getting into the work.”
Talty joined the Crimson Tide ahead of the 2023 season as the presumed successor to Reichard. He spent another season on the bench when Nicholson transferred in from Miami of Ohio, but handled kickoffs for Alabama last year.
It might not be at the level DeBoer is hoping for yet, but the coach reiterated that Talty had shown positive signs throughout camp.
“Was disappointed that he didn’t hit them all because he’s done a nice job in our practices,” DeBoer said. “We’ve been working at it every day with him being new and that whole unit being new. So we gotta keep working.”
So, we have a potentially elite defense, a stout offensive line protecting a QB focused on limiting mistakes and moving the chains, and no kicker?
Let’s party like it’s 2011!
Sounds like Da’shawn has the Husky job all locked up and, based on the versatility his length provides combined with the first team reps he received, Lee will likely be your dime back. Ivan Taylor continues to get buzz and seems to be the third safety behind Bray Hubbard and Keon Sabb, though we’ve also heard good things about Chuck McDonald. Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. is making some plays and Red Morgan is waiting in the wings, but we haven’t heard much about him.
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Hopefully Jam Miller heals up soon along with Jaeden Roberts and James Smith.
As usual, you can watch the entire press conference below. The head man seems pleased overall.
Last, in case you missed it, John Metchie was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles where he will reunite with DeVonta Smith among several Alabama players on that roster.
As a side note, you can expect The Feed to include short posts and a lot of breaking news. It will be common to see some of the same nuggets linked with commentary in the JP, as this one was.
That’s about it for today. Have a great week.
Roll Tide.
